


After an ending

by Lizardbeth



Series: Asgardia [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-05
Packaged: 2019-04-18 14:31:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14215209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lizardbeth/pseuds/Lizardbeth
Summary: At the new Asgardian colony, Sif could use a little help.





	After an ending

**Author's Note:**

> For a tumblr prompt from psychoticgirl, "Here, let me help" for Loki/Sif. 
> 
> This fits into my collection of loose post-Ragnarok ficlets based around the peaceful, happy AU of no THANOS RUDELY RUINING EVERYTHING, where the Asgardian refugees settle a patch of land in Norway where Odin died.

Loki was walking back to the ship from tending the weather, when he saw Sif carrying a load of metal beams toward the worksite of the longhouse. Her strength was sufficient, but the length was awkward and she had to shuffle awkwardly to keep them balanced.

“Here, let me help you,” he offered and reached for the forward end of the beams.

“I have it,” she snarled.

He pulled back his hands. He had thought they’d re-established a friendly relation after the death of Asgard, revelation of his own role in sending her away from its destruction, and subsequent settlement, but apparently he was wrong.

“Sorry to bother you,” he said as mockingly as possible, and turned to start away.

“I don’t need your help,” she muttered at his back and he didn’t bother to turn.

“Then I won’t give it,” he called and walked away, keeping himself from stomping in irritation, but glowering. So much for trying to do the ‘right thing’. All he ever got was scorned.

Brunnhilde had better not have found the vodka delivery yet, because he intended to take a bottle back to his quarters.

Five steps later, there was a loud clatter and loud swearing. He turned and found Sif surrounded by long metal beams scattered like children’s toys around her. He started to laugh.

She glared at him and burst out, “LOKI! You come back here and help me with this!”

He grinned and waved his fingers at her, not moving a step.

She put her hands on her hips. For a moment he had to admire the view – anger really did heighten her beauty – and then she inhaled a deep breath, calming herself, and she moderated her tone. “Would you come help me carry these? Please?”

He grimaced. She just had to go and ruin his justified irritation. He heaved a sigh and went back to help.

As he bent to collect one of the beams, she said, “I’m sorry I was so ill-tempered. I wanted to do it myself.”

He glanced at her. “So it wasn’t because it was me?”

“No!” she protested, but when she looked at him, she made a face and admitted, “Maybe a little.” He wasn’t exactly surprised by that, but it did pinch inside. “Not like that,” she added quickly and he had to lift his brows at her curiously. “I don’t like you thinking I’m weak.”

He frowned at her, confused and hurt by this unjust accusation. “When have I _ever_ thought you were weak?”

“You haven’t. That’s the point. I --” She set the beam in her hands down and brushed them off, expression intent on his. “You’ll think this is stupid, but now that you’re not dead, and Asgard’s gone, I feel I should tell you the truth, that I like you thinking I’m strong. Even when I didn’t believe it, you did. And I’m sorry I took it for granted.” Her eyes met his, somber, and he could see she meant every word. “It was only after you were… gone and I was on my own more often than not, I realized what I’d lost. And how important it was to me.” She hesitated and corrected herself, “How important you were to me.”

He let the beam fall out of his hands, stunned by the words. “This is… quite the confession,” he muttered, not knowing how to respond. He’d thought she still hated him five minutes ago, and now?

He shook his head, trying to shake some sense into it. “Well, you haven’t lost anything,” he settled for warm encouragement. “I’m here, I’m not dead. Or pretending to be Odin. I still think you’re the strongest person I know, even when you’re dropping building materials all over the road. I’m capable of helping you without thinking less of you, just so you know.”

Her smile was warm and beautiful and opened up something in his chest he’d thought had withered a long time ago.

“I know.”

“Good. We should pick these up, and get them to the hall for the builders.”

They gathered the beams back together and each took an end. It was light work with both of them carrying, and on the way back, she asked, “After we’ve dropped them off, you want to get something to eat? I hear they’re trying a new fish tonight.”

He looked over his shoulder at her, teasing, “Why, Lady Sif, that sounds almost as if you’re asking me on a date?”

He expected her to laugh or maybe swing the beams to try to knock him down for his impertinent jest, but she had the last laugh. She paused to consider and then answered deliberately, “I suppose I am.”

He stared at her long enough, his feet forgot to move the next step, but she didn’t stop, so the beams pushed him backward. He made an attempt to save himself, but his boots were somehow tangled on each other, and he ended up on one knee, the beams spilling from his hands, as her peals of laughter made her shoulders shake and her eyes gleam.

She let her end drop again and went to offer her hand, still smiling. With his hand clasped in hers, she asked, “Is that a yes?”

“What am I agreeing to, again?” he asked, head spinning a bit by all this. Was it a trick? Or jest? Or….?

“You, me, dinner,” she said, keeping it thankfully simple, and pulled him back to his feet.

He didn’t relinquish her hand, looking into her eyes until her smile faded to something more tentative and fragile. “Asgard’s gone,” she murmured. “This is a new land for us. Can you and I get a new start, too?”

All his embarrassment and confusion was swept away by what she was offering, and it was something far more important than a meal.

He kept his voice low, meant only for her ears, and hoped she would know he was taking this seriously. “I would like that.” He lifted her hand to his lips, enjoying how her cheeks turned a bit pink and she glanced down. “I accept your invitation.”

They both realized they were still holding hands and pulled away. Sif cleared her throat, while Loki retrieved his end of the beams. But he couldn’t stop smiling the rest of the way to the build site.


End file.
